Nina West to help raise money for local charity

A famous drag queen will be in Huntington Thursday to help raise money during a local charity event at the V Club.

Ru Pauls Drag Race” season 11 contestant Nina West, along with local queens, will be a part of Marshall University’s Brag on Drag event, which is held by Marshall’s Campus Activities Board.

CAB anticipates the event to be successful, said Briana Murphey, CAB’s public relations chair.

“This is more of an important event for CAB because we work hard every year to put this together,” Murphey said. “We want to raise money for the charity (Dress for Success) and bring awareness to the cause.”

Dress for Success is a global nonprofit organization CAB will be raising money for, and specifically, the branch in downtown Huntington, said Sydney Ankrom, CAB’s vice president.

“The mission of the organization is to support women, specifically, by providing low-income women with professional attire to help them in a job search and interview process,” Ankrom said.

It is important for students to give back to the community because they gain a lot of support from it, Ankrom said.

The event will raise more money for the clothing closet open to all who need assistance finding low-cost outfits for interviews and other important meetings, Ankrom said.

The Brag on Drag event was created by a student last year who wanted local drag queens to put on a show to benefit Dress for Success, said Emilie Christenberry, CAB’s community engagement chair.

West, this year’s celebrity addition to the event, is dedicated to the shows she puts on and has a nice attitude during her events, Christenberry said.

“Nina West carries a reputation for being a charitable individual, and her work has impacted many,” Christenberry said.

The Brag on Drag event is not only an event to raise charity, but it is also being held to raise awareness and acceptance, Christenberry said.

“This event shows the support to the LGBTQ+ community and allows for acceptance and education on Marshall’s campus,” Christenberry said.

The Brag on Drag event will be open to students and community members alike Thursday. Doors open at 11 p.m., with tickets starting at $15 for students and $20 for community members.

“We hope to raise even more money for the Dress for Success, and we want everyone to come and have an amazing time watching the show,” Christenberry said.

Tiara Brown can be contacted at [email protected].